The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train Shed (commonly referred to as the Milwaukee Road Depot), now officially named The Depot, is a historic railroad depot in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. At its peak, the station served 29 trains per day. Following decline, the station was closed and eventually adapted into various other uses.
Minneapolis
Former intercity passenger rail station
The Milwaukee Road Depot from the west, with train shed at rear
The Milwaukee Road had a long history in the Minneapolis area, beginning in 1865 when a predecessor railroad, the Minnesota Central, built a line from Mendota to Minneapolis. The Minnesota Central also built a line from Mendota to St. Paul in that early era. Eventually, rail lines connected Minneapolis and St. Paul with Milwaukee, Wisconsin via Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.[2]
The freight house and the first depot were built in 1879, with an Italianate architectural style.[3] The first depot was razed after a new facility, with Renaissance Revival architecture, was built in 1899.[2][4]
Originally, the facility's most distinguishing feature, the clock tower, was pinnacled and modeled after the Giralda in Seville, Spain; high winds destroyed the pinnacle in 1941 and the tower has since had a flat top.[5]
Operationedit
Several cars of the Olympian Hiawatha at the station on January 27, 1968
The freight house served a large percentage of less-than-carload freight arriving and departing from the Minneapolis area. Passenger traffic was also significant. In 1916, 15 passenger trains per day used the depot. Later years included the flagship Hiawathas. Rail yard facilities just south of downtown, on Hiawatha Avenue north of Lake Street, serviced the trains.[2] By 1920, the peak of activity, 29 trains per day used the depot.[4] Into the 1960s, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (or Rock Island) operated the Twin Star Rocket bound for Houston, via Des Moines and Dallas from the station.
Closure and reuseedit
The Depot's clock tower
As passenger rail traffic decreased across the nation and freight facilities were consolidated elsewhere, the Minneapolis depot steadily lost traffic. The depot was closed in 1971 and stood vacant for many years as various redevelopment and reuse plans fizzled.[5] In 1978, the depot and freight house were placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1980, rail access to the depot was severed when the Milwaukee Road abandoned most of its downtown Minneapolis trackage.[6] In 1998, CSM Corporation began a project to reuse the depot, including a Renaissance Hotel and Residence Inn by Marriott, an indoor water park, and an enclosed outdoor ice skating rink located in the former trainshed. The project was completed in 2001.[4] The water park was converted to additional guest rooms in 2015 during an expansion of the Renaissance Hotel.[7]
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The Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train Shed commonly referred to as the Milwaukee Road Depot now officially named The Depot is a historic railroad depot in downtown Minneapolis Minnesota United States At its peak the station served 29 trains per day Following decline the station was closed and eventually adapted into various other uses MinneapolisFormer intercity passenger rail stationThe Milwaukee Road Depot from the west with train shed at rearGeneral informationLocation201 Third Avenue South Minneapolis Minnesota 55401ServicesPreceding station Chicago Great Western Railway Following station St Paultoward Kansas City Main Line Terminus Preceding station Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad Following station St Paultoward Teague Teague Minneapolis Terminus Terminus Burlington Cedar Rapids and Northern Railway St Paultoward Burlington Preceding station Milwaukee Road Following station St Louis Parktowards Seattle or Tacoma Main Line St Paultowards Chicago Terminus Minneapolis Calmar St Paultowards Calmar Preceding station Soo Line Following station Crystaltoward Portal Main Line Cardigantoward Chicago Terminus Minneapolis Sault Ste Marie St Paultoward Sault Ste MarieChicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train ShedU S National Register of Historic PlacesPostcard showing the station s pinnacle Location201 3rd Ave S Minneapolis Minnesota USACoordinates44 58 47 N 93 15 44 W 44 97972 N 93 26222 W 44 97972 93 26222Built1899ArchitectCharles S FrostArchitectural styleRenaissance Revival ItalianateNRHP reference No 78001542 1 Added to NRHPNovember 28 1978 Contents 1 Development 2 Architecture 3 Operation 4 Closure and reuse 5 Other train depots in the Twin Cities 6 References 7 External linksDevelopment editThe Milwaukee Road had a long history in the Minneapolis area beginning in 1865 when a predecessor railroad the Minnesota Central built a line from Mendota to Minneapolis The Minnesota Central also built a line from Mendota to St Paul in that early era Eventually rail lines connected Minneapolis and St Paul with Milwaukee Wisconsin via Prairie du Chien Wisconsin 2 Architecture edit nbsp Italianate passenger station The freight house and the first depot were built in 1879 with an Italianate architectural style 3 The first depot was razed after a new facility with Renaissance Revival architecture was built in 1899 2 4 Originally the facility s most distinguishing feature the clock tower was pinnacled and modeled after the Giralda in Seville Spain high winds destroyed the pinnacle in 1941 and the tower has since had a flat top 5 Operation edit nbsp Several cars of the Olympian Hiawatha at the station on January 27 1968 The freight house served a large percentage of less than carload freight arriving and departing from the Minneapolis area Passenger traffic was also significant In 1916 15 passenger trains per day used the depot Later years included the flagship Hiawathas Rail yard facilities just south of downtown on Hiawatha Avenue north of Lake Street serviced the trains 2 By 1920 the peak of activity 29 trains per day used the depot 4 Into the 1960s the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Railroad or Rock Island operated the Twin Star Rocket bound for Houston via Des Moines and Dallas from the station Closure and reuse edit nbsp The Depot s clock tower As passenger rail traffic decreased across the nation and freight facilities were consolidated elsewhere the Minneapolis depot steadily lost traffic The depot was closed in 1971 and stood vacant for many years as various redevelopment and reuse plans fizzled 5 In 1978 the depot and freight house were placed on the National Register of Historic Places In 1980 rail access to the depot was severed when the Milwaukee Road abandoned most of its downtown Minneapolis trackage 6 In 1998 CSM Corporation began a project to reuse the depot including a Renaissance Hotel and Residence Inn by Marriott an indoor water park and an enclosed outdoor ice skating rink located in the former trainshed The project was completed in 2001 4 The water park was converted to additional guest rooms in 2015 during an expansion of the Renaissance Hotel 7 Other train depots in the Twin Cities editMidway station Minnesota The former Amtrak station serving the Twin Cities Saint Paul Union Depot Former and current St Paul passenger train destination Chicago Great Western Railway Station on South Washington Avenue Minneapolis and St Louis Railway Station on North 5th Street Minneapolis Great Northern Depot Former Minneapolis destination for Chicago and North Western Great Northern and Northern Pacific passenger trainsReferences edit National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 15 2006 a b c Hofsommer Don L 2005 Minneapolis and the Age of Railways Minneapolis MN University of Minnesota Press ISBN 0 8166 4501 9 Nord Mary Ann 2003 The National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota Minnesota Historical Society ISBN 0 87351 448 3 a b c History of the Depot Retrieved 2007 01 13 a b Millett Larry 2007 AIA Guide to the Twin Cities The Essential Source on the Architecture of Minneapolis and St Paul Minnesota Historical Society Press p 66 ISBN 978 0 87351 540 5 Luecke John 2010 More Milwaukee Road In Minnesota Genadier Publications p 38 CSM plans to remove Depot hotel s water park for more rooms Minneapolis St Paul Business Journal Archived from the original on 2015 01 25 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Chicago Milwaukee St Paul and Pacific Depot Freight House and Train Shed The Depot website Photos Milwaukee Road Depot at the Minnesota Historical Society Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Minneapolis station Milwaukee Road amp oldid 1213421710, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
